Physical assaults, the death of a parent and natural disasters have been linked to dysfunction, said Greg Chertok, a sports psychology consultant in New Jersey.

But that's not the only reaction, recent research shows.

"Experiencing some adversity may contribute to developing great coping and management skills," said Chertok. "Imagine athletes who embrace challenge and adversity as vehicles. They will develop toughness and resiliency."

Packers rookie defensive tackle Gilbert Peña had reached a point where he was almost maxed out on the adversity he could shoulder. There was his mom's illness, his responsibility as the man of the house, a broken hand, his new daughter and a bad season.

But he had also developed resiliency.

"You have your high and your lows. I hit my lows a lot in college," said Peña. "I was like, I've got to pull through. We've got to pull through."

Peña was heading in to his senior year at Saunders High School in Yonkers, N.Y., where he would make the New York/New Jersey High School All-Star Game, when his mother, Susan Cruz, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Peña's older sisters were helpful but had moved out. His father lived an hour away.

He skipped college and got a job washing dishes at a senior living center. He moved up to prep cook. He did that for two years before he worked for a heating and plumbing supply warehouse for another two.

While the prognosis was good for Peña's mother's survival, her treatment was rough. The medication would make her weight fluctuate and she would feel weak. Peña was there as a provider and there for her emotionally.

"I watched her work three jobs just to support me and my two sisters," said Peña. "In my heart that was the best thing for me to do, the right thing to do. The least I could do."

For fun, he would play pickup basketball. A friend encouraged him to consider junior college even though he had been out of football for four years and hadn't been working out.

"For a while I shot it down," said Peña. "He just stayed on my back about it and finally spoke to the coach. The coach had me take a train out to Brooklyn, N.Y., and actually gave me a tour around the school and worked me out."

ASA College in Brooklyn offered him a scholarship, and Peña, satisfied that his mother was healthy enough to be on her own, took it. He was already 23 years old.

"I didn't know where it was going to take me, but I could get an associates degree," said Peña.

With 41 tackles and five sacks in 2010, he was a first-team all-Northeast Conference selection. Big schools came after Peña, but the University of Mississippi offered first.

Three months after the 24-year-old Peña arrived in Oxford, Miss., for the spring semester in 2011, his daughter was born. Peña's priorities returned to family again.

"I had to make sure I'm on top of everything because this is my priority," said Peña. "I have to put food in her mouth, provide a roof over her head."

But that fall, in a team scrimmage just days before the season opener, he broke his right hand.

"Instead of me nailing the running back like maybe I should have, I kind of took it easy and tried to run over him," said Peña. "His helmet went right to the knuckle and broke it."

And then Ole Miss really struggled. Houston Nutt's team went 2-10 overall, 0-8 in the Southeastern Conference, and then he resigned.

"It was really hard because we didn't win any games," said Peña. "We had a struggling coaching staff, we had players that were getting kicked off the team."

Mississippi's new coach Hugh Freeze improved the team to 7-6 and 3-5. Peña trimmed down 15 pounds and had 34 tackles and two sacks last year. What may have caught the attention of the scouts was that Ole Miss led all SEC teams in tackles for a loss with 7.9 per game. Ole Miss was also second in the SEC and 11th nationally in sacks (2.9).

Peña was hoping he would get drafted, but it was no less validating when the Packers asked him to sign with Green Bay as a free agent.

"My mom was just thrilled; she was like, 'Is this really happening?'" said Peña. "Is this for real?"

It was, he told her, but it was also just the beginning.

Peña's daughter turned 2 in April. He is playing behind the ageless Ryan Pickett at nose tackle and the Jordan Miller, who joined the Packers last season. The off-season work has provided its challenges, he said, but Peña is happy to be in the fight. He is a 26-year-old rookie, older than 62 of his teammates.

"When I was at Ole Miss, I was the older guy. When I was at junior college, I was the older guy," said Peña. "I always used that kind of as a tool for me. I am older. I've had the work experience. I know what it's like to pay bills and have my own place.

"When I first set out to go to junior college, I never knew it would take me this far. I think being a 26-year-old rookie gives me an edge because I'm a lot more mature than the average guy. I've done the business side of things already. I've completed my journey with college. I'm fully focused on making this my home, trying to make the team and doing what I have to do to compete."